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Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Woman contractor nabbed over Penang zakat graft probe

The Penang Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained another contractor to help in investigations on the misappropriation and criminal breach of trust case involving the Penang Tithe Centre (Zakat Pulau Pinang, ZPP).

State MACC director Abdul Aziz Aban said the 42-year-old woman contractor was detained after she turned up to give her statement at the Penang MACC headquarters in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town at 8 pm last night.

"The woman has been remanded for six days from yesterday until Monday to help in investigation over the case. We believe more people especially contractors carrying out projects for ZPP will be detained soon to help in investigation over the case," he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.

Yesterday, MACC detained 11 individuals including a 50-year-old ZPP senior officer and three other officers of the agency to help in investigations over misappropriation of tithe money allocated for community development since three years ago.

Seven contractors, aged from 41 to 52 years, were also detained and remanded a week until May 15.

Meanwhile, the Penang State Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) would conduct an internal investigation on the detention of four ZPP officers including a senior officer by MACC yesterday.

State religious affairs, domestic trade and consumer affairs committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kasim said the internal investigation was to determine whether misappropriation or corruption took place in ZPP.

"The ZPP board members will also meet tomorrow for a relook at the administrative issues in the agency following the detention by MACC and also meet the staff to ensure the smooth running of ZPP," he said.